From the archives - july 1978 - SDLP to fight AOH ‘block investment’ move in the USA

Published:08:44Wednesday 03 July 2013

Moves by the Ancient Order of Hibernians of America to block investment in Northern Ireland are to be countered by the SDLP, who will conduct a campaign through its United States contacts.

Mr John Hume, deputy leader of the SDLP, said some of the leaders of the AOH in the States had written letters to top American industrialists warning them not to invest in Northern Ireland. He called the letters “a deliberate attempt to sabotage development in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Gerry Fitt, the party leader, said that they had always impressed Irish Americans that their dollars could help ease the situation in Northern Ireland. “We have warned before about misguided Irish Americans pouring their cash into the Provisional campaign.”